Actaully quite"UNAMAZING”  as there is a DEMOCRATIC governor here in Montana.  Democrats have always been the party of fiscal responsibility. 

For example - if you wanted to vote for a republican president that actaully balanced a budget you would have to be more than 70 years old (1956 election of Eisenhower) - 

but the LAST democratic president (clinton) balanced the budget.

AND OBAMA will balance the budget after he cleans up the disasterous mess caused by the last 8 years of republican rule.

@mooseberry - it’s gotta be the homegrown stuff - the lefties can’t afford the imported stuff…

There goes woody with that “1+1=3” stuff again…

Woody…where did you get your facts?? You need to go back and look at them again!

try using this thing called the “internets”  and the “googles”

Jesus you righties are fact adverse…..

only an idiot wouldn’t know that clinton had a balanced budget for a few of the years he was president…..

and handed a surplus to bush -

the thing the righties don’t understand is when WE THE PEOPLE run the gov we balance the budget because we care about long-term fiscal responsibilty - AND WE THE PEOPLE are a heck of a lot more in power when the demos are in office.

the corporations when they run the gov - and that’s what you get when you get rid of regulations - or elect a republican…

the corporations are short-term driven -  and could care less about the fiscal health of the feederal gov.

THAT IS the main problem - the supposed personhood of the corporations-  how can they be persons when they can own one another, when they can be created and then dissolved in an instance, when they can switch nationalities(like hallibutrton).

The idiot wind blows strong thru the rightwingnuts of the flathead valley.

I thought we were talking about the collection of revenue in Montana in this comment blog…or am I wrong?

True, we have a Dem governor.  Despite that, I really do like Schweitzer - he’s no nonsense, he doesn’t pull any punches, and he cares about Montana and its people - one of the very few governors that do, and I believe accounts for his popularity.  More importantly, he’s one of the very few Dems that strongly support gun rights for the people of Montana - a fact that I find amazing in light of his party affiliation.

He’s made a few blunders (what politician doesn’t?), and his wife buys his jeans at Costco (that is a fact I read here in the Beacon, I imagine which was stated during an interview with the governor.

During a speech that he made at the National Press Club in Washington, he talked about “making conservation cool”.  All fine and good - but Americans are too addicted to being free enough to jump in a car to go somewhere, which, for the moment, requires gasoline for the car.

Back to the topic of the state budget - a budget which has fared a lot better than most other states’ budgets.  Revenue has suffered because of the effect of the national economy on state revenue - on the loss of jobs, on the shutdown of a number of key businesses, and on those same people and businesses leaving our state.

The stimulus is a bandaid for this - and not a very good one; its a short term fix.  It helps for a little while, but the wound is not healing, and eventually the bandaid will fall off.  I fear that Montana will go down that same path - but there will be many states that will be in the same position as California long before Montana finds itself there.

So, my question to you all is - once the stimulus money for Montana is gone, then what?  What’s next?  More cost cutting?  Tax increases?  Both?  How is Montana going to stay afloat financially?

If you want to know about the 2011 state budget, here is the link to the PDF file:


http://mt.gov/budget/budgets/2011_budget/2011_Biennium_Executive_Budget_Summary.pdf

I guess according to the libertarians getting rid of all laws reigning in the Corporations will make the governement more responsive to WE the PEOPLE and lessen the power of the corporations to lobby the governement.

Talk about failing the smell test.

What libertarians don’t realize is when WE the PEOPLE run the gov - instead of the big corporations we will balance the budget because WE THE PEOPLE view this country on a long term basis.

The corporations only view it as a short term profit.

Hence if we have LESS regulations then the gov will run HIGHER deficits as the corporations lobby gov for handouts (corporate welfare).

Before lobbyests wrote a bunch of laws legalizing the practise of corporations opening a PO Box in the Camen Islands in oredr to get away from paying any taxes - the Corporations used to pay around 35% of taxes collected.  In the last 30 years of corporate give-aways that amount has dropped to around 5-7%.

AND the amount not collected is - in large part - the reason we have spiraling deficits and debt as far as the eye can see.

That is the true price of corporate lobbying - and why when corporations have undue influence thru lobbying - that the gov runs huge deficits.

But I know -  zoom - right over the heads of the uninformed loonie right.

Hey, we can use the US dollar for toilet wipes, fire starter, bed lining, wallpaper…it’s not completely worthless, at least it’s paper of the finest quality!!  The Fed is only too happy to print up more so we can keep warm!!

more of the same ole ...sameole “Hate America First” garbage from the anit-patriots on the right..

The Us is still the #1 economyin the world BY FAR!

around 15 tril a year before the bush depression

the next closest is japan, west germany and china at around 5 tril or less

PLUS the good old USA is one ofthe OLDEST most STABLE countries in the world….

the demise of the dollar is still uncertain to say the least…

dang - quit w/ the negativity and be a true PATRIOT for once righties.

AND business taxes collected in the USA is one of the LOWEST in the industrialized world.  Businessres won’t leave America….only maybe their headuarters to take advantage of some republican tax give-away to the corporate welfare cheats.

I wouldn’t expect you to understand any of thsoe economic terms righties -  that’s alright Glen Beck will email you the cliff notes.

Woody, as usual, you suck eggs.  I’m curious, you going to bend over and take the microchip, mandatory vaccines and allow Gomers into your home to access if your walls, toilets are up to snuff, that you aren’t growing any tomatoes and have turned in all your folding knives and AR-15’s?  I got an extra pair of kneepads for you, buddy..along with the extra large size vasoline.  Though you sound like the kind of guy that like’s taking it in dry.  The US has lost its position as the world’s primary engine of technology innovation, according to a report by the World Economic Forum. The US is now ranked seventh in the body’s league table measuring the impact of technology on the development of nations.
The top spot went for the first time to Denmark, followed by Sweden.
Countries were judged on the integration of technology in business, the infrastructure available, government policy favourable for fostering a culture of innovation and progress and leadership in promoting the usage of the latest information technology tools.
Denmark is now regarded as the world leader in technological advancement, with its Nordic neighbours Sweden, Finland and Norway claiming second, fourth and 10th place respectively, 
Certainly the USA will continue to provide the corporate globalists a reliable supply of dumb grunts to oppress global citizens aka Obamatons.  Rockefeller promised to destroy America in favor of the Chinese model..  Maybe you should read up on your Illuminati bloodlines-  Mellons, Carnegies, Rothschilds, Rockefellers, Dukes, Astors, Dorrances, Reynoldses, Stilimans, Bakers, Pynes, Cuilmans, Watsons, Tukes, Kleinworts, DuPonts, Warburgs, Phippses, Graces, Guggenheims, Milners, Drexels, Winthrops, Vanderbilts, Whitneys, Harknesses and start making sense for a change.

Enjoy it while it lasts, woody…because the great messiah Obama is finishing the job of destroying what is left of the economy.  It still amazes me that you actually believe that our government will rescue the economy.  Then again, I’m not surprised that an angry self serving lefty like yourself actually believes in the present regime.  Granted, it will take some time…but mark my words, it will happen.

Yes, our economy is still the biggest one in the world, but not for long, with the largest trade deficit ever recorded in the world, a government that is spending us into a very deep financial hole in a futile attempt to save the US economy, creating a fiscal deficit that is beyond nightmarish and growing by the day.  Do you even look at indicators?  What has happened to the value of the dollar in recent weeks?  What is happening to the value of gold? Oil?  Commodities?  Why is Bernanke worried about an audit by the GAO of the Fed?

I am being negative because I am being realistic!!! Geez, man, WAKE UP!!!  Can’t you see what’s happening with your own eyes?  It’s not a pretty picture I am painting, because the state of the economy and the nation is in jeopardy. And I am being a PATRIOT by speaking freely!  Or have you heard of the First Amendment?

America’s “War on Capitalism”: Why More Govt. Stimulus Is a Bad Idea
Posted Jul 08, 2009 08:36am EDT by Aaron Task
Tech ticker report
After Joe Biden’s “misread” comment last weekend, the Obama Administration sought to quickly dampen discussions of a second stimulus (or third, if you count Bush’s 2007 tax rebates.)
It’s “premature at this point” to talk about a second stimulus package, a White House spokesman told The Wall Street Journal.
But less than 24 hours later, Obama economic adviser Laura Tyson recommended more stimulus at a speech in Singapore, and downplayed concerns about the deficit, Bloomberg reports. “The concern is that the U.S. will have to inflate away its debt. I do not think that is a valid concern,” she said.
With the U.S. already “teetering on $62 trillion of debt,” this is a very dangerous game, says Charles Ortel, managing director of Newport Value Partners, an independent research firm. Still, he believes the Obama administration is “going to try” for more stimulus this year, even if the $787 billion package passed in February was a “hodgepodge of programs nobody really understands.”
In addition to adding to America’s yawning deficit, Ortel opposes more stimulus because he believes the government is the “sector of the economy that needs to be subjected to a scalpel.”
He also worries the Obama administration is waging a “war on capitalism,” but doesn’t give President Bush high marks on that front either.
As to the Keynesian argument the government needs to grow during periods of severe economic distress, Ortel says history suggests otherwise. “It’s not clear stimulus worked” to get America out of the Great Depression in the 1930s, he says, and it’s “abundantly clear Japan’s stimulus didn’t work” to stem its now 20-year economic malaise.

I dont know how many on here watch the stock market. Anyways after the gains that appeared over the last several months, it again has started it’s downward treck, including the value of our dollar AGAIN ! ( I honestly believe the only thing that got the market going up again for the short time frame was stimulus, and bailouts) That obviously has not cured a thing, as here we go again folks, down, down, down.  I still firmly believe that things should be left to fail, or succeed on their own merits, I do not believe anything is to BIG to fail, and I firmly do not believe that more government control ( nor bigger government) is going to save a thing. Let the free market remain just that. Now here comes the NEED for MORE money…..... anyone else have visions of a wheelbarrow full of dollars for that loaf of bread ????

@granny - exactly right!  The stimulus caused a false rise in the market - and it will be short lived. Oil is already on its way back down.  The dollar has consistently been going down in the past several weeks.  A good trends analyst is Peter Schiff - he does a video blog several times a week, pointing out major trends in the markets, as well as his analysis of major indicators.  If you can, buy gold - as much as those fiat dollars will allow you to buy.

JB, YES ! I have seen many of Peter Schiff’s reports. I believe that is one man that knows what he is talking about, and what he predicts is not SO gooood.  yep, silver and gold will be the only things of value if things dont change quick ( that is if it is not already too late).  It was quite comical because every time they would dump money into the markets you would watch it climb up bit by bit, it was short lived, now the nose dive sets in again. As shown above now they are talking about another stimulus…... ALOT of good thats going to do !!!!  Do you feel stimulated ???  LOL I know I dont !!!

@granny:  The only thing that stimulates me these days is metals - fortunately, I saw the ripples in the economy and got out long before last September, putting everything I have into metals - some silver and platinum, but mostly gold.  It has really paid off.  I’m not just talking gold certificates, I’m talking the actual metal - I have a couple of gold broker buddies that give me good spots on kugerrands and maple leaf coins.  I’ve been buying it lightly now, looking for the dips and taking advantage of the price swings.